Question:
I arrived at the airport at the 1.5 hours early like they said to do, and followed all airline and FAA regulations as specified for my flight, and still it did nothing as far as getting me from here to there. The flight was supposed to connect through Chicago, but it never left the ground because of "FAA related weather delay". I was told that my connecting flight would leave ontime, and it was obvious that I would miss it for sure, so I asked if I could "spend the night" at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago and catch the next AM flight to Louisville, but all flights were booked over overbooked for the next day, and the only other option would have been to rent a car and drive to MATS at my own expense, or fly into another airport really late tomorrow or the next day. No advanced planning would have been enough to get me there, and flying standby would have been too risky according to everyone else. All it took was "weather", and the FAA and the airline to say NO you can't go.
After thinking it all over, I decided that MATS this year wasn't meant to be and took a full refund of my airfare, so I'll be shooting for Vegas and Anaheim this Summer. This way, if I can't get an airline to take me, I can drive a short distance compared to 2500 miles.
I was looking forward to being at MATS, and had been planning this trip for almost a year just for the airline agents to say "weather delay, no connecting flight".
Next year, I'm leaving early Tuesday or possibly Monday morning on the first flight out, and I won't be going on United either because they acted like it was really no big deal, but it really isn't because they get flack from passengers so much that it just goes in one ear and out the other.
Rokki, Hoss, and all others I was looking forward to meeting, I hope this doesn't happen again, and I'll be trying this again soon. This was not going to work out at all for this year, but we'll go at it again full swing for next year.
Erik.

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That sucks dude,,Bets and Rokki were terrorizing Kansas City KS today,,they even kidnapped me and made me buy lunch! I assume Betsy got her back to the airport in time,,I had to escape and get back to work!

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Sorry to hear that Erik.
I have a brother who loves it when this sort of thing happens. He makes the airlines pay for things like hotel rooms, free tickets, meals and such in addition to the refunds. He travels all the time as a sales manager for a locksmith supply outfit.
Still it sucks to have an entire vacation ruined because the airline cannot, (or will not,) accomodate a canceled flight.
Maybe the vacation gods will bless me with a trip up to Vegas this summer. Other than the trip up to Phoenix last Sunday and the occasional trip to Tucson to see doctors and lawyers I have not been anywhere in over three years and my wanderlust is almost out of control!
Does this mean you will be around this weekend to do a recap on Saturday's race?

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I am a firm believer in things happening the way they do for a reason, but this still isn't right! Sorry to hear this Erik. I'm with everyone else, I hope you make it to ITS or Anaheim.

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I thought about calling you the other day when I rolled past Newark. Was gonna offer you a ride to MATS, but then I remembered you were gonna fly out.
I shoulda stuck with my first hunch, and called you.
Maybe next car show.

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You couldn't rent a car and drive 3.5 hrs to louisville ?

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Newark CA to Louisville KY = 2446 miles / 38 hours drive time (as per Rand McNally Streets & Trips)

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Hoss, Erik had mentioned the possibility of renting a car (at his own expense) from the O'Hare airport in Chicago to drive to Louisville because he could make it to O'Hare but the delay in arrival would make him miss his connecting flight to Louisville. That was the 3.5 hour drive Star-rider was referring to.

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Rose, Isn't this where your supposed to say "DUH.!" LOL
Don't mind Hoss, he probably still haven't defrosted yet (Brain Freeze)

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So I misread the post.
Gee, can't y'all give a guy a break? Honestly, I was NOT drinking.

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Maybe this was the problem?

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Erik, next year you oughtta take Greyhound.